Italian woman's thick tongue earns world record

Oct. 1 (UPI) -- An Italian woman's massive mouth muscle earned her a Guinness World Record when her tongue was confirmed to have a larger circumference than a ping pong ball.

Ambra Collina, 37, told Guinness World Records she decided to apply for the record after seeing photos of Dante Barnes, the former holder of the male version of the largest tongue circumference record.

Collina's tongue was measured three times by a doctor, and the average, 5.44 inches, became the official measurement.

She took the female version of the record from Oregon resident Jenny DuVander, who was awarded the title earlier this year with a measurement of 5.21 inches.

The male version is currently held by Belgian Sacha Feiner, whose tongue measures 6.69 inches in circumference.